This heart speaks volumes

Store owner draws on life experience for inspiration.

Store owner draws on life experience for inspiration.

July 03, 2006|ART BUKOWSKI The Argus-Press (Owosso)

CHESANING, Mich. (AP) -- If you look carefully at each Sarah's Attic figurine, you'll notice a small heart on the bottom or incorporated into the design -- a symbol that speaks volumes about the company's founder, Sarah Schultz. "Every piece we produce has the heart on it," said Schultz, 63, sitting at a plain table at her headquarters. "And that heart represents love, respect and dignity." Sarah's Attic is familiar to many people, even though they might not know it. The Michigan State University and University of Michigan snowmen figurines so popular at Christmastime are produced by the company, and a dizzying variety of other products including magnets, plaques and dolls are sold in every state and in several countries. Although it offers a variety of products, the focus of the company has been figurines since its beginning in 1983. "I didn't want to just produce a gift with no substance," Schultz said. "I wanted them to mean something." Born and raised in Chesaning, Schultz developed a severe case of rheumatic fever at age 11. In a move to cheer her up, her father bought a collection of small angel figurines. After lots of prayers and a little time, Schultz fully recovered, and to this day she's certain the angels had something to do with it. An average-sized woman with short sandy hair and a calm, steady voice, Schultz's eyes perked up as she described her hope that her figurines could have the same effect on someone else. She even created a line of figurines called "Angels in the Attic" to honor her father. As it is with the angels, many of the company's original figurine lines have some inspiration behind them. Growing up in Chesaning, Schultz befriended the Todds, a black family she met while delivering papers. She recalled sitting at their table and being amazed by their stories of days gone by. "They were so kind, so awesome, so generous -- I fell in love with them," she said. "I found out that color doesn't make a difference in life." That experience is reflected in a large collection of black heritage figurine lines produced by the company, and in a figurine based on Richard Todd, who is Schultz's age. His likeness adorns dolls and figurines in the "Sarah's Gang" line, which is a collection initially based on friends she knew growing up.